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The 12th Annual Tewaaraton Award Ceremony, honoring the top male and female college lacrosse players in the U.S., took place at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. on May 31. The recipients this year were Katie Schwarzmann of the University of Maryland and Peter Baum of Colgate University.

“Every year, there are 10 worthy candidates and it is a credit to Peter and Katie that they have been recognized as the most outstanding players this year,” said Jeffrey Harvey, chairman of The Tewaaraton Foundation. “We are thrilled to have them join this elite list of those who have received the Tewaaraton Award.”

Baum, the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, ensured that the Colgate Raiders would emerge as a major contender. As the nation’s leading goal scorer, Baum broke eight school and conference records and led Colgate’s second-ranked offense to a record-breaking 14 wins and the university’s first-ever NCAA tournament victory. Ranking fifth in points in Colgate history, he’s totaled 164 career points and his recent season’s 67 goals and 97 points rank 6th and 13th, respectively, all-time in NCAA history.

Schwarzmann, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Offensive Player of the Year, completed the 2012 season as the ACC’s leading scorer.. She scored in every game this season and scored five or more points in eight games. With 72 goals, she ranks fifth in Maryland single-season history. The ACC Championship Most Valuable Player, she tallied a tournament-record 11 goals in three games while leading the Terrapins to a fourth straight ACC crown. She was also named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament team.

In addition, Schwarzmann is the fifth women’s Tewaaraton Award winner in ACC history, the third women’s winner from the state of Maryland and the eighth midfielder to receive the Tewaaraton Award on the women’s side. In accepting their awards, Baum and Schwarzmann showed considerable grace and poise. “Congrats to the other finalists. It is an honor in itself to be recognized by such a talented group as this one,” said Schwarzmann, who credited her coaches and fellow teammates for her success.

“Wow,” said Baum. “I wish I could say this was something I dreamed about growing up, but I never could have believed in my wildest dreams that this could have happened growing up and playing lacrosse in Oregon.”

“It is very special to have such tremendous athletes combined with real attention being paid to the contributions the Iroquois, or Haudenosaunee, made to this wonderful sport,” said NCAI and Tewaaraton Foundation board member Andrew Lee, Seneca. “It really is much more than a sport; it is a way of life and a gift from the Creator.”

Also honored at the event were U.S. Lacrosse Native American Scholarship winners Bradley Thomas, Tuscarora,and Marissa Haring, Seneca,. In addition, Eamon McEneaney was posthumously presented with the Tewaaraton Legends Award for exemplary performance as a lacrosse player in an era before the award itself existed. Richie Moran was given the Spirit of Tewaaraton award for significant contributions to the sport.

The five men’s finalists were Baum, Duke University midfielder CJ Costabile, University of Massachusetts attackman Will Manny, Loyola University attackman Mike Sawyer and University of Virginia attackman Steele Stanwick. The five women’s finalists were Schwarzmann, University of Florida midfielder Brittany Dashiell, University of North Carolina attacker Becky Lynch, Northwestern University midfielder Taylor Thornton and Syracuse University attacker Michelle Tumolo.

At the ceremony, lacrosse stic-carving master craftsman and teacher Ron Patterson, Oneida Indian Nation, was on hand to perform a traditional stringing demonstration.

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